Envelope



Patented Feb. 15, 1938 Leonid L. Selezneif,New York, N. Y.

Application March 18, 1937, SeriaI'No. 131,665

7 In France October 17, 1936 1 Claim.

My invention relates to envelopes and has particular reference to envelopes for letters and other mail matter.

Ordinary envelopes have relatively large gummed flaps, which are usually moistened by saliva in view of the general lack of mechanical moistening devices. This renders the envelopes generally unsanitary, as it is difiicult to enforce perfectly sanitary conditions of their manufacture in various private shops. At the same time, such large flaps may be often improperly glued, or the glue may become softened in a moist atmosphere with the result that theenvelope can be readily opened and the contents exposed.

In order to overcomethese disadvantages of ordinary envelopes, I provide an envelope in which the flap is mechanically held in its closing position, this being one of the objects of my invention.

Another object of my invention is to arrange the closing flap in such a position that it can be sealed by the application of a mailing stamp or stamps in. their proper position at the right hand upper corner on the face of the envelope.

Another object of my invention is to provide an envelope with a closing flap mechanically held in its closed position and provided with means for preventing the withdrawal of the fiap once it isinserted in its place. For this purpose 30 I provide a transverse slot in the face portion of the envelope for insertion of the fiap, the slot being narrower than the envelope so that the flap is also: reduced, in width on the line of its engagement by the end portions of the slot. I

5 also provide enlarged portions on. the flap beyond the slot, which prevent the flap from being withdrawn when they are flattened inside of the envelope.

My invention is more fully described in the 40 accompanying specification and drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a front view of my envelope with a stamp attached in its proper place.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the envelope.

Fig. 3 is a view of a blank of paper ready to be folded into the envelope.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the envelope with the flap open.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the envelope with 50 a letter enclosed and the flap closed.

Fig. 6 is a view of a" blank for a modified envelope.

Fig. 7 is a view of a modified envelope with the flap open.

Fig. 8 is a view of another modification.

My envelope consists of a piece of paper or similar material consisting of a main portion which forms the face or front side of the envelope. This portion has a slot 2 extending across the envelope at a distance from the right hand edge of the envelope corresponding to about one half of the width of a postage stamp 3. The slot does not reach the other edges of the envelope by about the same distance. The part i has portions 4 and 5 extending from its ends, which are bent over along the dotted lines 6 and 1 in direction of arrows 8 and 9. The part 4 is bent first and forms an inner side for protecting the enclosure H) from being exposed through the slot. The portion or extension 5 has a flap II on the end for insertion into the slot 2 and it has tapering sides toward points I2 corresponding to the ends of the slot 2 when the fiap' is inserted. The end portion of the flap is preferably rounded in order to facilitate its insertion and may have a gummed spot it if it is desired to mail the envelope with a letter without a stamp.

The points [2 represent inwardly formed corners in order to retain the flap more securely in its place. For a still stronger locking of the flap in its place in the slot, the fiap may have an enlarged end portion 14 as shown in Fig. '7. It is curved at the sides for insertion in the slot by pressure betweenfingers and is flattened again after insertion, the edges of the portion l4 engaging the ends of the slot and preventing withdrawal of the flap.

The main portion I of the envelope has side flaps l5 which are turned over in direction of arrows l6 when the portions 4 and 5 are folded over, and then glued to the portion or member 5 as shown in Fig. 2. These flaps are shown of a triangular shape imitating the shape of ordinary envelopes, although they may be made in the form of narrow strips: l1. shownv in Fig. 6. The slot may be straight as shown in Figs. 1, 3' and 8, or it may be of any other suitable form, such as shown in Figs. 6 and '7. A curved slot l8 of Fig. '7 has an advantage that it facilitates the insertion of a self-locking flap [4. Another form of a self-locking flap I9 is: shown in Fig. 8. The inner side 4 may be considerably abbreviated as shown in Fig. 6 or may be entirely dis- 5O pensed with. In the latter case the envelope may be provided with an inner jacket made of a colored tissue paper. The place for the stamp 3 may be marked by printed lines 20, and the slot may be also marked by some decorative 55 lines. The slot and the flap may be located at the side or at the end of the envelope.

With my envelope its closing and sealing are made so that the letter cannot be seen, and it may be: compared to a box with a cover, sealed by a lock, the stamp serving the latters purpose.

It is understood that my envelope can be made in a variety of shapes and forms and for various purposes, to be sealed by stamps or sealing spots [3, or left unsealed for second classmatter. It can be variously modified within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

An envelope consisting of a sheet of paper having a rectangular middle portion, an inner and an outer end portion extending from the opposite sides of the middle portion and being of substantially the same size as the middle portion, the inner portion being bent over against the middle portion, the outer portion being bent over against the inner portion, side portions ex tending from the other sides of the middle portion being bent over against the outer portion and glued thereto thereby forming a pocket uniformly smooth inside, the middle portion having a transverse slot near the open end of the pocket, the ends of the slot being substantially equidistent from the adjacent edges of the middle portion, and an extension on the end of the outer portion adapted to be inserted into the slot, the extension being cut at an angle of approximately 45 from its base to the point of entrance into the slot, the rest of the extension being of a semicircular shape.

LEONID L. SELEZNEFF. 

